At that moment, Sentomaru stepped forward, his expression cold and merciless.
"Hmph. Looks like it's finally our turn," he said flatly.
"Pacifista—commence attack. Exterminate all pirates."
At his command, the eyes of nearly two hundred Pacifista lit up with an ominous red glow.
The next instant—
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Laser beams erupted from their palms and mouths in unison. The concentrated heat tore through the battlefield, instantly vaporizing pirates caught in their path and detonating into massive fireballs.
"Help—Captain Marco!"
"These monsters are unstoppable!"
The subordinate pirate crews fell into chaos, overwhelmed by the Pacifista's terrifying firepower.
"Phoenix Seal—!"
Marco didn't hesitate.
He shot forward like a blue comet and unleashed a devastating kick. The nearest Pacifista's head was torn clean off, its body exploding in midair before crashing lifelessly onto the ice.
"…No attribute points?" Marco glanced at the wreckage, momentarily disappointed when no system notification appeared.
But he quickly understood.
Of course. They're not alive—just weapons.
Still, that didn't change a thing. The Pacifistas were far too dangerous to be left unchecked.
Marco accelerated, his movements blurring as he struck again and again—one kick, one Pacifista. Heads flew. Bodies detonated. Machine after machine collapsed in smoking ruin.
Despite their terrifying destructive power and heavy armor, the Pacifista were slow—more like walking cannons than true fighters. Against Marco's speed, Haki, and aerial mobility, they were nothing more than clumsy targets.
"As expected of First Division Commander Marco!"
"He destroyed a Pacifista with a single kick!"
"He's unstoppable!"
Cheers erupted among the pirates as Marco obliterated more than a dozen Pacifistas in rapid succession.
Midair, Marco weaved effortlessly between incoming laser beams, blue flames trailing behind him. Curious, he activated his ability.
Level Scan.
Pacifista—Estimated Strength: Weak Captain Level.
"…Weak Captain Level?" Marco frowned slightly.
That meant each one of these machines possessed combat power comparable to a Marine vice admiral.
"No wonder the crews are struggling."
Below, Sentomaru watched Marco dance through the lasers as if mocking them, his face twisting with rage.
"Damn it! First Division Commander Marco—why is he here?!"
Sentomaru clenched his teeth. He knew the truth—Pacifista were devastating against ordinary pirates, but against a monster like Marco, their slow response time was a fatal flaw.
"Pacifista!" he barked.
"Ignore Marco! Prioritize eliminating the Whitebeard Pirates' subordinate crews!"
At once, the Pacifista adjusted their targeting systems, red beams locking onto the pirate formations.
Marco's eyes narrowed.
Just as he prepared to intervene—
Three figures dropped into his path.
Momonga.
Yamakaji.
Onigumo.
HQ Vice Admirals.
"Don't even think about destroying any more Pacifista, Marco," Momonga said coldly.
"From here on," Onigumo added, "you fight us."
"Heh…" Marco chuckled softly, though his gaze sharpened.
"You're really flattering me—sending three vice admirals at once."
Blue flames flickered as he rose higher into the air.
With flight as his domain, Marco held the advantage. The vice admirals would have to rely on continuous moonwalk just to keep up—and in the skies, Marco was king.
Boom!
Another violent explosion rang out as yet another Pacifista was reduced to scrap.
Sentomaru's face went pale as he watched the smoking wreckage tumble to the ground.
"Damn it! Another one destroyed!" he snarled. "Do you have any idea how much a single Pacifista costs? Each one is worth an entire warship! When I get back, Vegapunk is going to skin me alive!"
Grinding his teeth, Sentomaru raised his hand and barked an order:
"Pacifista—target Demon Oars!"
At once, more than thirty Pacifista adjusted their aim.
Whoosh—whoosh—whoosh!
Blinding laser beams tore through the air and slammed into Little Oars' massive body, blasting chunks of flesh and blood into the sky.
"Aaaahhh—! It hurts! It hurts so bad!" Oars howled in agony.
The Pacifista's lasers were far more terrifying than ordinary Marine cannon fire. Even with his monstrous physique and thick skin, his body was riddled with smoking wounds. Though the beams couldn't pierce straight through him, they left his flesh torn and mangled, turning his massive frame into a blood-soaked target.
While exchanging blows with three Marine Vice Admirals, Marco caught sight of the scene and immediately shouted,
"Oars! Get back to Pops—now! Against these human weapons, your size makes you nothing but a giant target!"
"But—" Little Oars tried to protest.
Before he could finish, dozens more laser beams rained down toward him.
"Undying—!"
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Marco's blue flames flared violently as he blocked the incoming lasers, his voice urgent as he shouted over the explosions.
"Go! You can't fight Pacifista head-on like this! Get to Pops—he'll have an important task for you soon. Fall back and wait for his orders!"
"…I understand," Oars finally said.
Clenching his teeth, he turned and retreated toward Whitebeard.
Meanwhile, aboard the Moby Dick, another figure arrived.
Squard stepped onto the deck.
Zack, standing guard behind Whitebeard, noticed him instantly. Marco's warning echoed in his mind, and his body tensed.
"Squard?" Zack asked sharply. "Why are you here?"
"I took a shortcut," Squard replied calmly as he approached.
Though Zack's heart pounded, his expression remained steady. He watched every step Squard took, ready to strike at the slightest sign of danger.
Whitebeard, already on guard after Marco's warning, spoke in a deep voice without turning around.
"Squard. What's the situation at the bay's edge?"
Squard stopped beside him and answered evenly,
"After those human weapons appeared, the subordinate crews were overwhelmed. Marco was also tied down by the Marine Vice Admirals."
Whitebeard sighed, his tone carrying a trace of apology.
"I see… I'm sorry. But this war is to save family."
"I know," Squard said firmly.
At the same time, he drew his long sword.
Zack's heart clenched.
This is it.
Yet Squard hadn't attacked—not yet. Zack knew that the instant he moved, he would have to stop him.
Whitebeard didn't even look back.
He stood tall, completely exposing his back—open, unguarded, and vulnerable.
Squard stared at the blade in his hand… then at Whitebeard's broad back. His voice trembled as he spoke:
"Everyone on our forty-three pirate ships has received your kindness. For the Whitebeard Pirates, we would give everything—even our lives. But if… if there were truly a place for us in the 'family' you speak of…"
Before the words fully faded—
Shk!
Squard drove his sword straight into Whitebeard's back.